Comments on: It’s Petite Sirah, People. TTB only accepts new labels with the “i”

By: Jo

Jo — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:44:42 +0000

I don’t know the answer to that one, Fabius, but it’s a great question.

I often wondered that myself.

I suspect that it might have to do with masculine and feminine, with the “e” being the feminine version., but I’m only second guessing from my two years of high school French, and my grandparents ~ the Berniers (rhymes with Viogniers).

By: Fabius

Fabius — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:22:00 +0000

Anyone know why it’s Petite Sirah, but Petit Verdot?

By: Jo

Jo — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:10:07 +0000

Sorry, Joanne,

It is NOT Petit. I can’t let you get away with that one, further confusing an already confused population.

If it were, every bottle in the US would be forced by the TTB to have the spelling you suggest (I can’t even write it again) on the label.

It’s Petit Verdot, but that’s another story.

Thanks for commenting, though, not to put you off. I just have to keep it completely clear, after having studied it – about every day – since February 2002. that kind of specialization makes one a bit myopic. ;^)

By: joanne

joanne — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:01:38 +0000

And it is PETIT…not PETITE, as it is so often incorrectly written. And Durif keeps things more clear. One site even says that petit syrah and syrah are the same grape. Wrong!

By: Jo

Jo — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:53:40 +0000

Randy,

How true… it’s not the first time, nor will it be the last. We live with spell check, because it’s just so easy to make mistakes.